Creeping Barrage

(304 words)

Creeping Barrage

Moving curtain of fire laid down by the artillery in front of the attacking infantry. It was designed to keep the defenders, especially the defending infantry, from taking defensive measures and mounting counterattacks. For this purpose, it was essential that the advancing infantry followed the creeping barrage as closely as possible and was prepared to take casualties from short artillery rounds. The creeping barrage was first used by the German Army on the Eastern Front in 1916 …